News Release

Korean visitors learned more than English skills during month on campus

August 19, 2008

Twenty-five Korean schoolteachers came to Penn State Harrisburg in July and August to improve their English language skills.

They returned to their homeland with a greater understanding of America and a heartfelt appreciation of its people.

In partnership with the college’s Office of Continuing Education, and schools of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences and Education, the teachers from the Goyang Office of Education near Seoul resided on campus and became immersed in the English language and the culture of the region.

The primary goal of the educational exchange was to substantially improve the English language skills of the teachers who could then take that knowledge back to their Korean classrooms. To say the program was a success would be an understatement.

“I’m happy I experienced this wonderful program,” said Jung-im Kim, a high school English teacher. “I’ve never experienced anything like this before. We have learned so much we can use in our classrooms.”

Cheryl Myers, coordinator of the college’s English Immersion Program, said all of the Korean teachers improved their English-speaking skills during the program as evidenced by tests administered upon their arrival and shortly before their return to their homeland. “Most of them have good English reading and writing skills, so we concentrated on listening and speaking skills,” she told the Harrisburg Patriot-News.

Associate Professor of American Studies and Literature John Haddad, one of the faculty coordinators of the visit, explains the first two weeks of the four-week experience focused on listening and speaking skills which included one-on-one conversations with faculty and staff and a visit to the Middletown Area School District.

“I chose the theme of American childhood because teachers are interested in children and because there would be a lot of opportunities for dialogue as we compared the differences between the American and Korean childhoods,” Dr. Haddad adds.

Classroom objectives centered on the American cultural experience – past and present – with a focus on the American childhood through literature, consumer culture, and even video games to spur dialog.

The second two weeks focused on applying what the Koreans had learned to their classroom and the American classroom. Activities included trips to cultural and entertainment locations and sessions on learning English through drama.

Associate Professor of Education Denise Meister, who also coordinated educational activities for the visitors, also points to a higher level of confidence and improved speaking and listening skills as a result of the ambitious program.

The visit did not simply involve classroom work. A variety of excursions again aimed at improving the Koreans’ knowledge and appreciation of American culture while expanding their conversational and listening skills was built into their busy schedule.

Washington, D.C., Harrisburg, the Lancaster County Amish country, a farmer’s market, University Park, and even an Oriole baseball game in Baltimore were among the highlights of the off-campus itinerary. Several of the students pointed to the Amish tour as one of their most memorable along with visiting the homes of faculty and staff for social gatherings. And their hosts quickly discovered that the teachers were ambitious shoppers.

“We had a great time and we learned a lot about the American culture,” Jihyun Lee adds. “The experience was totally new to me.”

She also added she was impressed by all the “Penn State passion” she and her colleagues experienced during the visit.

Perhaps summing up the lasting value of the entire experience, Kim said she learned that “teaching English is not just teaching the language. You have to have energy and enthusiasm about the culture.”

The final day of the program included a “graduation ceremony” during which the students, amid tears and smiles, praised the Penn State Harrisburg program, expressed deep gratitude to their hosts, and spoke in flowing terms of the immense educational value of their American experience.

You can view photos of the visit on the Web at http://citl.hbg.psu.edu/eip_pics/index.html